


Cipher & Calisto

by neyla9



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Alternate Universe - Greek Mythology, Cupid and Psyche AU, F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-05
Updated: 2016-06-04
Packaged: 2018-07-12 07:48:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7092976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neyla9/pseuds/neyla9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are people claiming that the young prince, Calisto, is in actuality a god given human form. This angers the goddess, Enigma, and she sends her brother, Cipher, out to curse the young prince. Unfortunately for her, Cipher falls in love with the mortal and refuses to harm him, leading Cipher to make a deal with Enigma.</p><p>Meanwhile, Calisto and his family are filled with fear once they hear from the gods, that Calisto must marry a hideous monster.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, so I worked on this story a long while back, but got stuck a little more than halfway through. I finally pulled myself together, and finished it! And I am actually insanely proud of this story, so hopefully, you'll like it:3
> 
> The story is based on the greek/roman myth of Cupid and Psyche (check Wikipedia if you want to know more about the myth). And yes, since the story takes place in ancient Greece, all the characters have different names:
> 
> Bill is just called Cipher
> 
> Dipper is called Calisto. In greek mythology, Calisto was a nymph who became the constellation, Ursa Major, which the Big Dipper is a part of.
> 
> Mabel is Philomena. I had trouble finding a suitable name for Mabel, so I went with Philomena, since Mabel and Philomena have similar name meanings.
> 
> Stanford is called Stefford, and Stanley is called Steffan. I had a lot of trouble finding names for them too.
> 
> Pacifica is called Pasha because it was the closest greek name I could find. Also, she is called Pasha of Aquilo Zephyr, because Aquilo is the northern wind, while Zephyr is the western wind, thus, Pasha of the Northwestern Wind.

The ancient world holds many stories, tales that have been carried mouth to mouth through generations, involving both gods and mortal men, love and struggle, tragedy and triumph. The stories change, but their hearts remain the same no matter how often they are told. This is one such story.

Our story begins in the ancient world, when gods were plentiful and worshipped through sacrifice and prayer. A mortal king and his queen brought to the world a pair of twins, a boy and a girl. Right from their birth, it was said that the two were blessed by the gods themselves, the boy especially, as he had on his forehead a depiction of the constellation, the Great Bear, and was named after the nymph who became the Great Bear, Calisto. Meanwhile his sister, beloved by all from the moment she entered the world, was called Philomena.

As the twins grew, closely watched by their parents and two great-uncles, Steffan and Stefford, their beauty blossomed each day, along with it, Philomena’s kindness and artistry and Calisto’s knowledge and bravery. Once they entered adulthood, they both had many suitors lined up, some of them even worshipping the two twins as gods, bringing them many offerings in exchange for blessings.

People even began saying that the twins were gods, that Philomena’s kindness and artistry must be a sign of the goddess of art and peace, Nitsa, while Calisto’s knowledge and smarts were somehow related to the goddess of wisdom and knowledge, Enigma. Something that Enigma did not like.

“Does it not bother you that these mere mortals are compared to the likes of us?” Enigma asked Nitsa, her voice vibrating with frustration.

“The young girl’s abilities are remarkable,” Nitsa responded with a calm smile. “The fact that she is a mortal simply makes it that more intriguing, especially since I have not given her any blessings; her skills are her own. I would assume you held a similar regard for the boy.”

“The notion that, that boy’s intellect could even come close, let alone parallel that of a god’s, is abhorrent!” Enigma stated.

“Sister dear, your obsession with that mortal is almost getting out of hand,” Enigma’s brother, Cipher the god of puzzles and dreams, laughed. “I would stop it, were it not so very entertaining.”

“You would have the same reaction were it your godhood that was blasphemed!” Enigma argued. “In fact, the mortals say that there is no puzzle that boy cannot solve…” Enigma trailed off and gave her brother a look.

“What are you trying to say, dear sister?” Cipher asked.

“Perhaps it’s about time the boy takes on a puzzle worthy of his skills,” Enigma suggested. “If his intellect does parallel that of the gods, he should have no trouble solving your ultimate puzzle.”

“Enigma!” Nitsa gasped in horror. “No mortal is capable of solving that puzzle! Everyone who has tried it has either fallen mad or died attempting to find the solution!”

“Exactly,” Enigma smirked proudly. “Will you do me that favor and go down to the mortal plane and give the puzzle to the boy, brother dear?”

“Might as well,” Cipher shrugged and conjured up a yellow, triangular puzzle box. “It’ll be entertaining to see another mortal driving to madness because of my puzzles.”

As Cipher left the hall of the gods, Pyros, the goddess of fire and love, followed him out.

“Cipher, wait,” Pyros grabbed the god by his shoulder. “I must tell you something; if you go down to the mortal plane to bring the puzzle to the boy, you will meet and fall in love with a human.”

“Pyros, do you honestly take me for someone who would fall for a mortal?” Cipher scoffed. “I have yet to even find a god I desire; what chance does a mere mortal have?”

“It is your decision, then,” Pyros turned to walk back to the hall. “But once it happens, you are still free to come to me for help.”

Cipher laughed to himself as he teleported to the mortal plane.

 

It didn’t take the god long to find the palace where the boy lived; it wasn’t too shabby for a mortal home, walls and floors made from white marble, decent size, decorated with many plants and flowers, but the boy was not there. Cipher realized that the boy must be in the city located nearby the palace, which was perfect; he wouldn’t have to sneak into the palace, he could simply offer the puzzle as a gift to the boy.

Cipher wandered through the crowds of human, none of them wise to the fact that they were near a god, tracking down the boy through the use of magic, Cipher finally found him sitting on a marble bench reading a scroll.

But the moment Cipher laid his eyes on the human, he swore it almost felt like a punch to the gut; when humans said that Calisto was beautiful enough to be a god, they meant it; the boy had wavy brown hair, sun kissed skin, big dark brown eyes that sparkled in the sun, and the way the boy smiled at whatever he was reading, Cipher would give anything to have that smile directed at him.

Cipher realized quickly that this was what Pyros had warned him about; this invasive, burning sensation that threatened to consume his very being. This greedy, lustful leech that demanded to possess the boy for himself and Cipher loved every agonizing pleasure that it brought him.

For a moment, Cipher thought of still giving the human the puzzle box, to let the human slave and struggle over it, all the boy’s focus and attention on something that Cipher had created! But if Cipher did that, the human would never pay any attention to the god, only his puzzle… And the human would quickly fade away, forever lost to the underworld and forever out of Cipher’s reach.

The boy seemed to realize that someone was watching him and he looked up from his scroll. He caught Cipher’s gaze and gave a friendly smile, waving at the god.

If Cipher perished at that moment, he would have happily greeted the underworld, as well as Thanasis and Anastasia, the ruling gods of the underworld.

Cipher, not knowing what else to do, turned back around to find a secluded spot where he could teleport back to the god plane.

 

When Cipher arrived back home, the first thing he did was opening his Window; a small stone bowl filled with water that all gods’ had, which allowed them to see anything on the mortal plane. He focused the window on Calisto who was currently on his way back to the palace, walking beside his sister. Philomena was beautiful too, naturally, as the two twins shared many features, but Calisto seemed far lovelier to the god. Perhaps it was the way the boy held himself, somewhat awkwardly but full with determination, or perhaps it was the careful smile that somehow shone brighter than the moon, or the way light seemed to dance across the boy’s hair… Oh, the god could list many reasons, and the thought of just sitting there, staring at the boy and listing reason upon reason why the human was the most beautiful creature in existence, didn’t seem so terrible.

“Well, brother, how is the little human handling your puzzle?” his sister asked as she teleported into Cipher’s home. “Has he started crying yet? That would be a sight to behold!”

“I didn’t give him the puzzle,” Cipher responded as he stretched his hand towards the window, stroking a finger across Calisto’s image.

“What?” Enigma exclaimed in shock. “We had a deal-“

“We did not have a deal,” Cipher argued, tearing his gaze away from Calisto to glare at his sister. “From now on, the human is under my protection, Enigma.”

“You…” the goddess paused, nearly stunned into silence. “Brother, have you actually fallen in love with a human!?”

“What if I have?” Cipher began observing Calisto again; the human was now spending time with one of his two great-uncles. “Gods have fallen in love with humans before…”

“But not you! Not us!” Enigma yelled. “Do you honestly think you have a chance with that mortal? He is going to fall in love with another mortal, marry them, live out his life with them, and eventually die.”

“Unless…” Cipher paused. “… He falls in love with me.”

“Not if I can stop it,” Enigma replied immediately. “I am not going to let that blasphemous, little worm have you.”

“Alright, then,” Cipher sighed. “A deal.”

“What kind of deal?”

“I will make an arrangement with Pyros, to have me wedded to Calisto, only he will not know he is marrying a god, he will think he is marrying a hideous monster…”

“Continue.”

“If I can make Calisto fall in love with me in the shape of a monster, he and I will remain together, he will ascend to godhood, and there will be nothing you can do about it.”

“Hmm, alright, but, he must confess his love to you within a year, and if he sees your true form or you fail to make him love you, you will have to remain in the monster form until Calisto dies,” Enigma smirked, knowing her brother did so love his attractive looks.

“Deal. However, the moment he does confess his love, I will no longer have to remain in the monstrous form,” Cipher stretched out his hand towards his sister.

“Deal,” Enigma took his hand without hesitation. “Although, ’if he confesses his love’ is probably more accurate.”

 

It was late at night, and Calisto was sitting outside on the marble floor, his back leaning against a nearby pillar. He was looking at the stars, quickly locating the constellation he was named after, the same constellation which image had been imprinted on him. Many times had Calisto wondered if he was truly favored by the gods; he himself doubted so, as he couldn’t see what, aside from his birthmark, set him apart from anyone else.

“Brother?” Calisto turned his head and saw his sister, Philomena, had arrived; she was dressed in her nightgown, prepared to go to bed. “Are you having trouble sleeping again?”

“That I have,” Calisto responded with a wistful sigh.

“Perhaps you should pray to Cipher,” Philomena suggested. “After all, many people are of the thought that you are related.”

“You know as well as I do that, that isn’t true,” Calisto argued. “Besides, many people pray to Cipher, and their prayers go unnoticed; why should he listen to me?”

“It is true, he is not the most reliable of gods,” Philomena nodded in agreement. “But tell me, brother, why are you struggling with sleep this time? Is it because of tomorrow?”

Calisto had nearly forgotten; tomorrow was the day he and Philomena would have their spouses chosen. Their family had already looked through all their suitors, picking the ones that would make an acceptable spouse. Tomorrow, they would pray to the gods, and the gods would choose the ideal suitor and bless the union.

“It is not that,” Calisto confessed. “Today, in the marketplace, I saw the most beautiful man; he had dark skin, golden hair, and his eyes… I do not know if it was the light of the sun, but his eyes looked as though they were made from the purest gold.”

“Oh, could it be my brother has fallen in love?” Philomena teased. “Perhaps he is hoping this mysterious man is one of his suitors?”

“I doubt so,” Calisto sighed. “He ran off before I had a chance to speak with him. But it does not matter; I shall carry his image in my mind, and perhaps, someday, I will see him again. If not, I will see him in my dreams.”

“Then you should probably get to bed, brother; we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

 

In the morning, the twins sat waiting in the parlor for the announcement to be made. Philomena could barely contain her excitement while her brother was reading one of his scrolls. All was peaceful until their great-uncle Stefford entered through the door, a grave expression on his face.

“Great-uncle Stefford,” Philomena greeted him. “Has a decision been made?”

“Regarding you, yes,” Stefford nodded. “You will wed Pasha of Aquilo Zephyr.”

“Pasha?” Philomena’s face lit up in joy at the news; Pasha had courted Philomena for a long time, at first because her parents wanted the union as a way to establish contact with the royal family, but then Pasha had evidently fallen in love with Philomena’s kindness, and in turn, Philomena herself. The news that, that was the union the gods had blessed filled Philomena’s heart with delight. “You heard that, brother? I will be wedding Pasha! A more wonderful union could not have been made!”

“I am joyous for you, my sister,” Calisto responded and hugged Philomena. “But what of me, great-uncle?” he asked as e turned towards the elder man. “Have the gods not yet decided? Could you tell me which suitors have been rejected?”

“That is why I arrived,” Stefford said with a heavy sigh. “I do not know why, but the gods have rejected all your suitors; none of them have received their blessing.”

“Are you sure?” Calisto’s heart was filled with fear. “Could it be that the candidates were simply not good enough? Or perhaps all their hearts were filled with greed and cruelty?”

“I promise, your parents, my brother, and I all went through them; they were not the problem.”

“Are you saying… I’m the problem?” Calisto gasped.

“We must consider every possibility, and it is possible that you may have… angered the gods.”

“I have angered the gods?!” Calisto shouted. “Whatever could I have done that would earn me their scorn!?”

“As you know, people have often thought that you and your sister, you especially, were gods given mortal form-“

“But neither of us has ever claimed to be so! Why would the gods punish me for other’s mistakes? I am under no delusions that I am a deity.”

“As great as our gods are, they are not fair. They can be irrational and lay the blame with the wrong party.”

“Why?” Calisto began to sob. “My sister has been blessed to wed her love. Why not I?”

“There is still a possibility that we can fix this, Calisto,” Stefford assured him, placing a comforting hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Across town lies one of Pyros’ temples. If we pray to her and bring her a satisfactory sacrifice, we may find out why the gods won’t bless your union, and hopefully fix it.”

 

Stefford brought his great-nephew to the temple of Pyros; a great building filled with flaming torches inside and outside. Inside the temple was a great statue of the goddess sitting on a throne, piles of almonds and grain lying at the foot of the statue.

“I was always told that Pyros was the goddess of fire,” Calisto wondered aloud as he and his great-uncle stepped closer to the statue, his voice echoing in the room, which was empty aside from the two.

“She is,” Stefford replied. “But she is also a goddess of love and fertility, hence our offering,” he was carrying a basket of pomegranates decorated with white lilies.

“Should we not first ask the goddess what she wishes us to bring her?” Calisto inquired.

“We will still be doing that,” Stefford assured him. “But even so, we should bring her something in exchange for her time, especially if the gods are resenting you.” Stefford placed the basket in front of the statue and kneeled, Castillo following suit.

After kneeling for almost half an hour, the statue began glowing and the shape of a woman appeared before them.

“Why have I been called here?” the goddess asked.

“My goddess,” Stefford bowed deeply along with Calisto who was more than a little nervous; this was his first encounter with a god, unlike his great-uncle who was a priest. “My great-nephew has reached the point where he should be married. As you know, it lies in our family to only join in unions blessed by the gods. However, none of his suitors have been blessed. We wish to know why.”

“The reason is very simple,” Pyros responded, her voice loud and powerful. “The gods have promised Prince Calisto’s hand to someone else; he will marry, but his husband will not be human.”

“What?” Calisto gasped, his eyes wide in confusion and fear.

“Tonight, a four-legged serpent with wings of a bat will arrive at your family’s palace; he is Calisto’s betrothed. He will take the prince with him.”

“My goddess!” Stefford exclaimed. “You cannot expect my nephew to wed a monster!”

“SILENCE!” Pyros’ loud voice echoed through the temple. “It is the will of the gods!” and with that, she faded away into nothingness, leaving the two men behind.

 

When Calisto returned home, his sister was waiting for him, immediately rushing to his side as he entered the door.

“Did you and great-uncle Stefford find out what was wrong?” Philomena asked. “Did you speak to an actual god?”

“We did, yes,” Calisto nodded, his eyes full of sorrow, he took his sister’s hands in his own. “I’m sorry, dear sister. I wish to celebrate in your joyous occasion, but I cannot. For some reason unknown, the gods have promised my hand to a serpent-like monster, and I must wed him tonight.”

“Brother,” Philomena looked distraught. “The gods… they only wish us the best. Perhaps this is for the better?”

“How can you even say that!?” Calisto shouted and turned away from her. “I am to marry a hideous monster! How can I be sure that I am not merely the next in a line of spouses, sacrificed to appease a ferocious beast!? What if on the day after my wedding night, all there is left of me will be my bones!?”

“Do not say that, brother!” Philomena cried. “You cannot know that!”

“… I wish to be alone, sister,” Calisto told her as he left the room. “This may very well be the last time I see our home.”

 

After having wandered the palace for some hours, Calisto was called on by his parents. It was time to prepare for the arrival of his groom-to-be. Calisto was dressed in clothes more fitting for a funeral than a wedding, making it clear that others held the same fears he did, and the palace was decorated in flowers, inside and out.

Calisto was standing outside, along with his parents, sister, his two great-uncles, and a section of guards. Around sunset, they could make out a small figure in the sky that grew ever bigger as it came closer. Soon it was close enough to make out details, like shimmering yellow scales and big golden horns, the creature only growing more intimidating the closer it came.

When it landed, Calisto could see every part of the monster, from its bony-white, sharp teeth, to its long black claws, even its golden eyes and cat-like pupils. Calisto’s only joy came from that the monster was not as big as he had feared, only about twice the length of himself, counting the long spiked tail.

“I am here for my spouse,” the creature spoke and lowered its wings. Calisto stepped solemnly forward, giving his family a last sorrowful look before crawling up on the beast’s back.

The monster ascended to the air and carried Calisto with it far away.

 

The flight carried them far before the monster landed on a green cliff; a beautiful garden filled with wild flowers and a forest of trees in front of them. The creature walked through the forest, away from the cliff, leading the two of them to a gorgeous palace. Calisto eyes went wide in surprise; the palace was even greater and far more magnificent than his family’s.

The monster carried him to the door, big enough that the creature could fit through, and into a great parlor, decorated with exquisite pieces of art and expensive furniture. Calisto crawled down and sat down on a chair, waiting for the monster to address him. Instead, the creature picked up a quilt with one of its front paws, and handed it to Calisto.

“Why are you giving me this?” the boy asked, accepting the quilt nonetheless.

“I realize it gets cold flying on my back,” the creature replied. “I do not want you to get sick.”

“I see,” Calisto swallowed audibly, trying to hold his tears at bay as he continued. “I suppose you know wish to… consummate our marriage?”

The monster looked at him for a moment before responding: “Allow me to lead you to your bedroom.”

Calisto followed the creature as they exited the parlor and walked down a long hallway to a double door made of oak. Calisto opened the door and entered the room, finding a great big bed with silken sheets and a soft mattress, along with a closet and vanity. Calisto sat down on the bed and turned to face his new husband, but found the beast to be gone. Assuming that the creature would soon return, Calisto removed his wedding clothes and dressed in a nightgown he found in the closet. He lied down in the bed; his back turned to the door, and closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep.

 

Somehow, through all his anxiety, Calisto had actually managed to fall into slumber, awaken only when he heard someone stepping into the room. It did not sound like the monster, the steps too light and no sound of a tail dragging behind. As the unknown intruder lied down beside Calisto in bed, he opened his eyes to see who it was, but found that the room was far too dark to see anything.

“Who are you?” Calisto asked, his voice nearly a whisper.

“… You do not need to know,” the person responded with a beautiful, masculine voice. The mysterious man embraced Calisto from behind, holding him in a tender grip that Calisto felt he could melt into, the man’s skin so soft and warm.

Calisto did not know why he did it, but he allowed the unknown man to take his innocence, penetrating his young body over and over, both of them relishing in every moment as they were brought closer and closer to the edge, only to fall together. Afterwards, they lay there, an exhausted but satisfied pile of body parts. Calisto quickly fell asleep again to the sound of the stranger’s heartbeat, feeling the man lovingly stroke his hair.

 

In the morning, Calisto awoke in his bed alone. Disappointment filled the young man, as he had wanted to see his strange love. He rose from bed and dressed in clothes he found in the closet, and returned to the parlor where the creature was waiting for him.

“Did you sleep well?” the monster asked.

“I did,” Calisto answered hesitantly. “Tell me, are there other people living in or around this abode?”

“No,” the creature spoke. “It is only us.”

Calisto sighed in defeat. Perhaps he had merely dreamt that encounter, his young body and mind yearning to join with another.

“You never told me,” Calisto spoke up after a short moment of silence. “What am I expected to do as your… husband?”

“I expect you to eat your meals with me, spend time with me, and learn to see this palace as your home,” the creature responded.

“I do not understand,” Calisto shook his head in confusion. “Those demands do not seem very… demanding.”

“Why should they? You’re my spouse, not my prisoner.”

“Then why did you bring me here!?” Calisto yelled, suddenly filled with rage at the creature. “I was never once asked if I wanted you! I was simply forced into this! Why? Why do you want me?”

The monster looked at him, his eyes seeming somewhat sad. “I cannot tell you,” it said. “I ask only that you give me a year to show you that I can be a good husband to you, nothing more. If, once the year has passed, you are still unhappy, I will return you to your family and make sure the gods bless whatever union you wish to join.”

“… Fine,” Calisto sighed. “I will give it a year.”


	2. Betrayal

The next months, Calisto began spending time with the creature; he found out that the creature held a fondness for riddles and puzzles, an interest that Calisto shared, and as the two did other activities, they would often ask each other riddles. Calisto began keeping the garden, finding the work satisfying, while the creature would on a flat rock nearby, soaking in the hot rays of the sun. The creature even gave Calisto many scrolls and texts that he had never even heard of before, not even from his great-uncle Stefford.

However, as close as they grew during the day, the creature still had yet to join Calisto in bed, yet the stranger had returned every night, the darkness each time to thick to see him. They didn’t make love every night, sometimes the man simply held him, but with each day, Calisto grew more and more ashamed of these meetings and how he was betraying his husband’s trust and kindness.

 

One day, Calisto had asked the creature to explore the forest surrounding the palace. The beast had said yes, and the young prince went off exploring. He ended up encountering many strange animals he had never before seen, and discovered flowers and fruits completely foreign to him.

He decided to pick the fruit, planning to replant them in the garden, when he heard a low growl coming from behind him. He turned and saw a lion-like monster with the tail of a scorpion advancing on him.

Calisto began to slowly back away, trying not to make any sudden noises or movements that might startle the monster into action, but the monster stalked closer and closer, that is, until it stopped, Calisto recognizing that it was getting ready to pounce him.

He closed his eyes as the monster roared and jumped forward, attempting to cover his face with his arms, but the monster never touched him. He opened his eyes and saw why; his husband had swooped in and taken the hit for him, fending off the monster with his teeth and claws. His spouse gave a menacing roar, grabbed the monster and threw it to the ground before turning around, swooping up Calisto on his back, and flying them away.

By the time they returned to outside the palace, the creature was panting heavily, a light blue liquid flowing from gashes on his belly. Calisto crawled down from his back and looked at the wounds.

“You’re hurt,” he remarked and tried to touch it, but his husband turned away.

“It’s nothing,” the creature assured him. “Are you alright? Did I arrive too late?”

“No,” Calisto replied. “You came just in time, but… Why did you do that?”

“It was my fault,” the creature said and lied down on his back. “I knew that the forest lurked with dangerous creatures, but you were so excited to go exploring, I couldn’t tell you no. I had hoped you wouldn’t run into anything perilous, but then decided it would be best to follow you. I’m glad I did, but I wish I had not needed to.”

“… One moment,” Calisto ran into the palace and came back carrying a bucket of warm water and a piece of cloth. He soaked the cloth in the water and began cleansing the creature’s wounds. “Does it hurt?”

“Yes,” the creature made an agonized expression.

“I’m sorry,” Calisto apologized, but continued to cleanse the wounds. “If I don’t clean the gashes, it might get infected.”

“I understand, but it still hurts.”

“I know,” Calisto gave a small smile. “When I was young, my sister and I would often get hurt playing. When it was time to clean our wounds, we always promised each other to play more carefully next time, but when next time arrived, we always decided the fun would be worth the pain.”

The creature gave a hearty laugh in response.

“Maybe next time I explore the woods, you can join me?” Calisto suggested.

“You… want me to join you?” the creature seemed confused.

“Of course; during these last moons, I have grown rather fond of you. I perceive you as a dear friend.”

“That’s… more than I could have hoped for…”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“I mean that I am a monster; I had not counted on winning your favor this quickly.”

“Oh, you are not a monster,” Calisto said and placed his forehead on the creature’s stomach. “I’m sorry I ever saw you as such; you have treated me with nothing but kindness and respect, and I should not have judged you that harshly on your outer appearance.”

“I do not blame you; my appearance is rather frightening. And I did force you away from your family and home.”

“And still, I am happy here, with you,” Calisto smiled before realization struck him. “I just remembered; in all this time I have known you, I never once asked for your name.”

“… You do not need to know my name,” the creature answered cryptically.

“But you are my husband,” Calisto argued. “I wish to address you as other than a creature. Please, won’t you tell me your name?”

“… Call me ‘Basil’,” he responded after a moment of silence.

 

The next weeks went by quicker than Calisto realized; suddenly he had been with Basil for nearly four months. Calisto was also beginning to notice a change in his feelings to his husband, or perhaps the feelings had always been there. At first he didn’t want to admit it, but then he had to acknowledge it; he had fallen in love with Basil. And how would Basil react to that? Was he even capable of feeling love towards a human? Did he only perceive Calisto as a friend and companion? Perhaps that was why he had yet to take Calisto to bed, which brought up the other worry that Calisto held; he had still done nothing about the stranger that snuck into his chambers every night, still had no idea who he was and had still done nothing to stop him from bringing Calisto unholy pleasures.

Calisto didn’t know what to do; he wanted to confess his love to his husband, but felt he couldn’t until he stopped betraying Basil’s trust, but he wanted to know who the stranger was and why he committed those deeds. If only he could talk to his family, they would know the answers. And then his family… He missed them dearly of course, he wanted to see them again, but he had no idea how to bring up the subject to Basil, so he simply decided to keep quiet about it.

“You have been so solemn these last days,” Basil noted one night after dinner. “Is anything bothering you?”

“Not really,” Calisto shrugged.

“I know you, my little tree, and I can tell something is wrong,” Basil had began referring to Calisto by the pet name “little tree”, a gesture that Calisto found annoying and endearing in equal measures.

“Well…” Calisto sighed. “I suppose I miss my family somewhat…”

“Is that all? Why didn’t you say so? Do you want to visit them for a few days?”

“What?” Calisto exclaimed in surprise. “Are… are you sure?”

“Of course,” Basil assured. “I told you before; you are not my prisoner. If you wish to see your family, you only need to say so.”

“Then yes. Just for a couple of days, to see how they’re all doing. Oh, this will be wonderful! They barely know you! I cannot wait to introduce you-“

“I think it is best that I stay away during your visit.”

“What? Why?”

“I do not think your family will be pleased to see me,” Basil scowled. “Nor that they will welcome me with open arms.”

“At first, I suppose not,” Calisto conceded. “But once they get to know you, I know they will see you as part of our family.”

“I am sorry, little tree, but it is for the best,” Basil gave a heavy sigh. “There is one other matter I must address; something you must promise me…”

“What is it, my husband?”

“As the days go by, your great-uncle Stefford will ask to speak with you in private… You must promise me to decline his offer and not do so.”

“Why?”

“I cannot tell you. I implore you to please trust me in this matter.”

“Alright, I will.”

 

When the day arrived, Basil flew Calisto back home. Calisto embraced his husband before he flew off, leaving the human with the promise to return within a week.

As Calisto walked into the palace, greeting the startled guards who saw him, he managed to locate his sister sitting in the parlor and sewing beside her wife.

“Brother?” Philomena gasped when she saw her twin, tears of joy rolling down her face. She threw her work aside and ran up to her brother, embracing him in a heartfelt grasp. “I thought I would never see you again!”

“It is good to see you, my sister,” Calisto said as he returned the embrace.

“How did you ever escape the monster?” Philomena inquired.

“He is not a monster, Philomena,” Calisto insisted before he spotted Pasha. He gave her courteous nod which she returned, the two having held a mutual respect for the other for a long time. “If you please; I wish to speak to my sister in private.”

“Very well,” Pasha sighed, rising from her seat and giving her wife a small kiss on the cheek before leaving.

“Well? How did you get away from the beast?” Philomena asked again.

“I didn’t; he brought me here,” Calisto began to explain. “He is not as his appearance suggests; he has treated me with nothing but kindness and decency, doing everything within his power to bring me joy. I told him I wished to visit you, so he brought me here for the week.”

“Oh, brother, can it be you are beginning to fall for him?” Philomena teased only to see her brother’s face flush red. “My gods, you have!”

“Perhaps I have!” Calisto yelled indignantly. “He is a truly wonderful creature, and I feel lucky to be by his side.”

“But have you told him so?” Philomena asked.

“No, I cannot,” Calisto sighed. “My sister, there are other matters which burdens my heart; my husband has not taken me to bed, but every night, a strange man sneaks into my room and lays beside me. This stranger has already deflowered me, and I do not know who he is!”

“Calisto!” Philomena exclaimed in shock. “This is serious! Have you told your husband?”

“I have not,” Calisto confessed, refusing to meet his sister’s gaze. “I do not want him to know that I have violated his trust and sullied our marriage. I did however ask him if he had anyone living in his palace besides us, and he told me no, making me wonder if perhaps it is all a dream.”

“Calisto,” the young man turned and saw his great-uncle Stefford standing in the doorway.

“Great-uncle Stefford,” Calisto gasped. “Did you hear all that?”

“I did,” Stefford nodded. “Calisto, may I speak with you in private?”

Calisto recalled the promise he made to Basil about not talking with Stefford in private, however it seemed like his great-uncle was only going to reprimand him for his infidelity, which Calisto felt he deserved.

“Yes, great-uncle Stefford,” Calisto followed Stefford out of the parlor and out to the garden.

“First of all, I am happy to see you’ve returned,” Stefford told his nephew.

“I am only back for a week,” Calisto added. “But it is good to be back.”

“It seems as if there is more to the monster than we originally thought.”

“Please, great-uncle Stefford,” Calisto protested vehemently. “He is not a monster; his appearance is horrifying, but his heart is good and pure.”

“I understand,” Stefford smiled and placed a gentle hand on his nephew’s shoulder. “You have grown rather fond of him, have you not?”

“I have.”

“What do you plan to do about the stranger?”

“I do not know. I honestly have no clue as to what I will do.”

“Do you wish to keep seeing him?”

“No! I wish to seize our meetings, but-“

“That is all I needed to hear,” Stefford began walking back into the palace. “Stay here, my child; I will be back soon.”

In a few minutes, Stefford had returned carrying a small brown satchel. He opened the satchel, revealing a wax candle along with a rock and an odd piece of dark metal.

“What is this?” Calisto wondered aloud, picking up the metal.

“It is a fire striker,” Stefford explained. “Northern civilizations use them to create fire by striking them with a rock like the one in the satchel. If you light the candle after the stranger has fallen asleep, you’ll be able to find out who he is, and hopefully fend him off.”

“Thank you!” Calisto cried happily as he embraced Stefford.

“Yes, just be careful the wax from the candle does not burn anyone,” Stefford warned.

“I will be careful,” Calisto promised and embraced his great-uncle again.

 

The remaining days of the week, Calisto caught up on what had happened in the months he was gone, as well as telling his family how he had spend his time with Basil. His parents and great-uncle Steffan were all skeptical, but eventually conceded that perhaps the creature was alright.

When it was time for Calisto to return with Basil, he hid the small satchel under his robe and waited outside the palace, along with his family. When Basil arrived, Calisto could see that his husband was surprised to see his family there.

“Basil,” Calisto walked over to his husband and tenderly placed his hand on the scaly face. “I am so happy to be with you once more.”

“As am I, little tree,” Basil replied. “I presume your family is here to say goodbye?”

“Actually, they wanted to meet you,” Calisto corrected. “I know you are scared that they won’t approve, but I assure you, they only want me the best.”

“And what if I am not the best for you?”

“You are,” Calisto took Basil’s clawed hand and gently led him over to the other humans. “Everyone, this is my husband, Basil.”

“It is such a delight to finally meet you!” Philomena grabbed Basil’s other hand and shook it enthusiastically. “My brother has told me you treat him like a rare gemstone.”

“I did not!” Calisto protested, his cheeks turning red.

“I recall that you did,” Pasha smirked before turning to Basil as well. “I am Philomena’s wife, Pasha of Aquilo Zephyr.”

“Ah, yes, I have heard of you,” Basil nodded. “Or more accurately, your family. I am honestly surprised that the gods blessed your union with princess Philomena.”

“That makes two of us,” Pasha mumbled.

“Do not be daft!” Philomena giggled. “The gods must have known only Pasha could ever make me this happy.”

Introductions went on until everyone had greeted Calisto’s husband and it was time to leave. Calisto crawled up on Basil’s back, but before the creature took off he asked: “Did you keep your promise?”

“My promise?” Calisto answered back.

“I asked you not to speak with your great-uncle in private,” Basil reminded him.

“Yes, I… I did not,” Calisto lied, hoping his husband would not notice.

“That is good,” Basil gave a sigh of relief before taking off into the sky.

 

The first thing Calisto did after returning home was running into his bedroom and hiding the satchel under his bed.

“Why are you in such a hurry?” Basil pondered as he followed Calisto into the room at a slower pace.

“I… I simply wanted to see my room again,” Calisto lied. “It has been so long.”

“I understand fully,” Basil smiled warmly. “It is already getting late; I will prepare dinner, while you can take a bath if you wish.”

“Yes, thank you,” Calisto gave a sigh of relief as Basil left. Hopefully, after tonight, there would be no more lies.

 

When the night came and Calisto was lying alone in the darkness, he listened carefully for the telltale signs of the stranger. True to form, he could hear the soft footstep walking across the floor before the bed dipped as the stranger lied down beside him.

The stranger wrapped his arms around Calisto and softly kissed his cheek, humming contently.

“Listen,” Calisto whispered. “I do not want to copulate tonight…”

“That is alright,” the stranger whispered back and held him tighter. “I just need to hold you right now…”

Calisto closed his eyes and listened to the stranger’s heartbeat. After a while, the stranger’s breathing became slower and his grip around Calisto became laxer.

Calisto waited a couple more minutes before moving the arms around him away and crawling out of bed. He picked up the satchel from under the bed and pulled out the candle and fire striker. It took a couple of tries, but he finally managed to light the candle, and he held it carefully as he moved around the bed to get a better look at the stranger. What he saw shocked him; it was the man from the marketplace! Calisto could never have mistaken that flawless brown skin or that golden hair. He held the candle over the sleeping man, staring as if in a trance at the beauty before him, and because of this absentmindedness, a drop of burning wax fell from the candle and hit the man’s bare chest.

The stranger awoke when the drop hit him, shouting and writhing at the sudden burning pain, before he laid eyes on Calisto.

“No…” the stranger gasped and clutched his head, jumping off the bed and landing hard on the floor.

“Are you alright?” Calisto asked and stretched out a hand to help the man up. But the man simply started to writhe in pain once again as his body began transforming, growing larger as golden scales appeared over his skin, his fingers turning into black claws, his limbs being forced into an unnatural form, and suddenly, in the stranger’s place stood Basil.

“What have you done!?!” Basil roared.

“Basil?” Calisto gasped. “You’re… you are the one who lied by my side all this time? Were you human all along?”

“I am not human!” Basil shouted. “You lied to me! Your great-uncle gave you that candle, did he not?”

“Yes, I lied,” Calisto admitted, finally noticing that the candle wax had left a great wound on Basil’s stomach. “Basil, you are hurt…”

“Do you have any idea what you have done!?” Basil ignored Calisto’s concern. “If you had only waited, everything might have turned out fine! But now… Now I am cursed to stay in this hideous form until your death!”

“What?” Calisto gasped, but Basil turned around and ran out of the room. “Wait!” Calisto called out as he attempted to follow his husband.

Basil ran out of the palace, Calisto right behind him, but the creature spread his wings and flew off into the sky, leaving Calisto behind.

“Wait!” Calisto called, trying to hold back a sob. He fell to his knees and began to cry. “Don’t leave me… I love you…” the human could barely feel the cold night wind as he cried over his broken heart. Basil had said that he would remain in his current form until Calisto died, and since it was his fault his husband was now trapped in said form, there was only one thing Calisto could do to atone for his deeds.

He rose from the ground and took the first step forward, his spirit filled with resolution as he got closer and closer to the steep cliff. As he reached the edge, he took a final look back at his home before closing his eyes and letting himself fall off the cliff to his death.

But as he fell, he felt the wind growing stronger as it began to slow his fall, gently putting him down on the ground. Calisto opened his eyes and saw a man in front of him.

“Who are you?” Calisto asked, his voice still trembling after having cried.

“My name is Aetios,” the man responded, his voice deep yet light like a feather.

“Like the god of wind?” Calisto inquired.

“The very same,” Aetios nodded.

“If I were you, I would change my name; the gods do not like when mortals carry their names.”

“And what made you think I was a mortal?” Aetios said as he began levitating in the air.

Calisto gasped, first in surprise, then in the realization. “You were the one who saved my life!”

“That I did, young one,” Aetios stopped levitating and walked closer to Calisto.

“Why?” Calisto sobbed. “I wanted to die! How else am I ever going to make right what I have done wrong?”

“By reuniting with your love,” Aetios explained.

“Basil cannot possibly want anything to do with me after this. I have violated his trust and trapped him in a form he hates…”

“Cipher brought it upon himself,” Aetios sighed.

“Cipher?” Calisto questioned, his voice barely a whisper.

“That is your husband true identity; the god of dreams and puzzles, Cipher, “Aetios explained. “He made a deal with his sister, Enigma, to win your heart in a hideous form in exchange for her not to sabotage his attempts, or so the other gods say. If he failed, which counted by you seeing his true form, he would have to remain in the monstrous form until your death.”

“As I thought, it is my fault.”

“Cipher played a dangerous game; he was the one who sought you out in his true form, when he could have simply chosen not to.”

“That does not excuse my own actions!” Calisto yelled. “What is all this supposed to change? The only way for me to fix my mistake-“

“You do not understand; Cipher fell in love with you! And he was willing to risk his attractive looks for a chance to be with you. Do you truly believe he wishes for you to die?”

“What would you have me do then?”

“Go to him,” Aetios said. “Find him and hear him out before you make any irreversible mistakes.”

“But I do not know where he is!” Calisto protested.

“He is in the gods’ domain, recovering from the wound the candle wax left on him,” Aetios began to lift up Calisto using his wind. “I can carry you to the temple of Pyros; I believe she will be able to assist you further.”

“You will? Thank you!”

“Think nothing of it,” Aetios smiled at him. “I wish you the best of luck in the future.”

And with that, Aetios sent Calisto off to Pyros’ temple.

 

As Calisto arrived at the temple, he saw that it was in disarray, mainly from the untidy placement of Pyros’ sacrifices. Having a great-uncle as a priest, Calisto knew the proper ways to arrange the sacrifices, and tidied up the temple, hoping this would be enough of a gift to get in contact with the goddess.

After fixing up the temple, Calisto kneeled down by the goddess’ statue, and prayed. He prayed and begged for hours, until the sun itself rose and cast light into the temple, and finally, the image of Pyros appeared before him.

“O great Pyros,” Calisto said as he kneeled further. “I wish to reunite with my husband, whom I recently discovered is the god, Cipher. Tell me what you want of me, and you shall have it, if only I can see him again.”

Pyros was quiet at first, but then she spoke up; “I am afraid this matter is out of my hand. Cipher has fled to his sister’s abode. He is wounded by bad burn marks, and Enigma refuses to let anyone see him.”

“Please! I must see him,” Calisto begged. “Is there not anything you can do?”

Pyros gave him a pitying look before continuing; “All I can do is bring you to Enigma’s temple. Afterwards, your fate with your husband lies entirely in her hands.”

Calisto rose from the floor. “What shall I give you in exchange?”

“Nothing,” Pyros’ voice rung out, as a sharp light enveloped the young prince’s body. “In truth, I am not doing you any favors…”

Calisto shut his eyes as the lights were much too sharp. When he opened them again, he found himself in a different temple; this one made of white and black marble, and in the center, a statue of a different goddess stood.

Calisto kneeled down by the statue and began to pray, begging the goddess to please bring him his husband.


	3. Trials

As Enigma looked at her brother, heartbroken, stuck in the form of a hideous monster, and badly injured, she could not stop the gloating laughter that followed.

“It is as I told you, brother,” Enigma laughed, placing a plate of food nearby the god. “Humans know only betrayal and sin. If you had just given the prince that puzzle, none of this would have happened.”

Cipher responded only with a groan of pain.

“But worry not,” Enigma proceeded giving her brother false comfort. “You will not be stuck in this form for long; it will only be a couple of decades, not even a century. Humans do have pitifully short lifespan~”

She walked out of the guest room, leaving her brother to his pain and sorrow. As she walked by her Window, she realized that some mortal had been trying to contact her for three hours. If someone was willing to pray that long, they must truly be desperate.

With a malicious grin, the goddess began the short journey to her temple.

 

When she arrived, her grin only got bigger, as she saw who had been praying for her; kneeling by her statue was the very thorn in her eye that she had wanted to get rid of.

“Why, is this not a beautiful sight?” she remarked, letting the mortal know she was there. “The blasphemous little prince, who so cruelly broke my brother’s heart.”

“O great Enigma,” Calisto said. “That is why I am here-“

“I see you have not even bothered to present me a sacrifice for my time,” Enigma interrupted. “I might as well leave then, I suppose.”

“Please no!” Calisto jumped to his feet. “Tell me what you want of me, and it shall be done! Please, I only wish to see my husband again.”

“Your husband?” Enigma scoffed. “And what makes you think he wants anything to do with you? The best you can do for him, is to die.”

“Please, great Enigma,” Calisto fell to his knees again. “I will do anything just to get a chance to talk to him again.”

“Hmm,” Enigma pondered, a cruel smirk appearing on her lips. “I suppose we can make some kind of arrangement… But first, I must receive some kind of payment for my time.” The goddess snapped her fingers and Calisto’s robes disappeared. An invisible force held him down as a whip appeared in the goddess hand. “A hundred lashes should do the trick~ And do not worry; you will not die from this, although you might come to wish you did~”

That was all the warning Calisto received before the goddess brought the whip down on him. Lash after lash, the whip crack and stung. No marks or wounds were left behind, but the pain was as real as any method of torture.

It felt as if an eternity had passed before the last lash was brought down. The goddess finished the torture session by knocking Calisto head down into the marble floor, once more, not leaving any physical wounds behind, only nearly blinding pain.

“That was immensely satisfying,” Enigma chuckled. “Alright, listen boy; I will give you four tasks. If you complete them, I shall allow you to see Cipher, but if you fail even one, you must serve me until the day you die. Deal?”

“… Deal,” Calisto managed to gasp, despite the pain still circling through his body.

“Wonderful~” the goddess smirked as she summoned a burlap sack and poured its content out in front of Calisto, an enormous pile of varying seeds before the young prince. “I have an important feast I must attend, but I also must have these seeds sorted before dawn. So, your first task is to sort all these seeds before I return. Better get to work~”

And with that, the goddess was gone. Calisto sighed, a sense of despair gripping his heart. But he had already agreed to Enigma’s terms, and he knew nothing would come out of giving up, so he began.

Nearby, a small ant had seen the exchange between the goddess and prince, and the tiny insect felt immense sympathy for the poor prince’s plight. And thus, the ant contacted an army of nearby insects, and they all began to help Calisto sorting the seeds. In only a handful of hours, they had finished what would have taken Calisto an entire day.

“Thank you,” the prince said to the insects that had helped him. “Is there any way I can repay you?”

But the insects didn’t answer, they simply left, satisfied with the job done.

 

By dawn, Enigma returned, her head aching from having drunk too much wine. The goddess hoped seeing the prince riddled with despair would brighten her mood, but instead she found Calisto sleeping on the floor of her temple, having somehow already finished his work.

“Wake up!” she roared, and Calisto awoke from his slumber.

“Oh, you’re back,” the prince noted, rising from the floor.

“I am surprised you managed to complete my task,” Enigma commented, her tone full of disdain. “Time for the next one.”

“Great Enigma, I have not eaten for a day,” Calisto said. “Can I not have a meal before I leave?”

Enigma scoffed and threw Calisto a small crust of bread. “That will have to sustain you for the moment,” she sneered. “I want you to cross a nearby river. On the other side lives an aggressive sheep with golden wool. I want you to bring me the wool.”

“But how will I ever get the wool?” Calisto asked, his voice laced with anguish.

“That is not my concern,” the goddess smirked before leaving once more.

 

It did not take Calisto long to locate the river Enigma told him of. On the other side lied a meadow filled with colorful flowers and thorny bushes, and in the distance he could see a huge, golden ram with red, furious eyes.

The prince fell down to his knees; he knew there was no way to shear that sheep. Calisto noticed just how deep the river was, and the thought stroke him that if he could not get the wool, he would rather die and free Cipher than become Enigma’s servant.

Calisto dipped his feet into the cold water, prepared to cast himself into the dark depths below, when a voice spoke to him.

“Do you wish to drown yourself?” the voice asked.

“I do not wish to,” Calisto responded. “But I have no other option. If I do not get my hand on the sheep’s golden wool, I will become a slave to a cruel goddess who only wishes me harm and suffering, and there is no way for me to shear the sheep.”

“You must think outside the box!” the voice urged him. “You cannot give up!”

“Who are you?” the prince asked.

“I am the spirit of this river, and I have a way to help you; the sheep scratches itself on the thorny bushes, leaving wads of wool behind. You can safely collect those without fear.”

“Thank you,” Calisto gasped when he realized the spirit was correct. Leaping over the narrow river, Calisto carefully, trying not to draw attention to himself, snuck up to the bushes, finding plenty of the golden wool stuck on the briars. He plucked the soft wads and carried them back to the temple where he presented them to Enigma.

“How did you manage to get the wool?” the goddess asked with barely contained anger.

“I believe you said before that, that did not concern you,” Calisto replied.

“Very well,” Enigma accepted the wool and summoned a crystal chalice. “Your third task is to follow the river. At some point, the river runs into the river Styx. I want you to fill this chalice with water from the river Styx.”

Calisto took the chalice and left without another word.

 

Following the river, it took Calisto three days to reach the river Styx. Unfortunately, he needed to climb a steep cliff in order to reach it. Carefully cradling the chalice in one hand, Calisto began to climb, only to be disturbed by many winged lizards.

They crawled out from under the rocks and began to swarm him, biting and clawing his body, but Calisto continued climbing. One of the lizards bit the hand that held the chalice, and Calisto dropped the precious piece of crystal. The chalice fell down and broke on the ground.

Seeing the chalice broken into pieces, Calisto pondered for a moment if he should just let go of the cliff and fall to his death, when a soft glow emitted from the sky. The lizards fled and scurried back into cliff, while the glow enveloped Calisto and the broken chalice.

The glow lifted Calisto up the cliff, along with the pieces of the chalice, which suddenly reformed. Calisto took a hold of the chalice once more as the glow formed into a person in front of him.

“Thank you,” was the first thing Calisto said.

“You are welcome,” the person, a woman answered back. “My name is Nitsa. You may know as the goddess of art and peace.”

“Why did you help me?” Calisto asked.

“Enigma has taken this too far,” Nitsa said. “I do not believe that you deserve this. Unfortunately, since you have already made a deal with Enigma, I cannot aid you much. Fill the chalice with water, and I shall bring you back to Enigma’s temple. After that, there is nothing more I can do.”

“You have already done more than enough,” Calisto said and did as instructed.

 

Calisto could see from Enigma’s expression that the goddess had hoped he wouldn’t return. Now the prince only had one task left before he could reunite with his love.

“Caring for my wounded brother has taken a lot of me,” Enigma told Calisto. “I have not been able to sleep for sheer worry of his health. I need a special flower, a poppy, grown by the goddess of flowers, Anastasia. She currently resides in the underworld, along with her husband Thanasis.”

“But how do I ever get to the underworld?” Calisto asked, despair once more gripping his heart.

“I wonder that too,” Enigma smirked and left.

Calisto did not know what to do. He left Enigma’s temple and just began walking. No matter how many times he thought it through, there was only one way the prince knew he could get to the underworld.

As he came to terms with that, he spotted a tall, decrepit tower. He began to climb it, determined to throw himself off of it. But as he stood on the edge, ready to jump, a voice spoke to him.

“Whatever are you doing?” the voice asked.

“I… I have to get to the underworld,” Calisto responded. “I must get a poppy from Anastasia, and this is my only way.”

“There is one other way,” the voice said. “At the nearest graveyard, there is a gate that leads to a set of stairs descending into the earth. But you must bring with you two cakes of honeyed barley, as well as two coins inside your mouth. You must maintain silence as you travel to and fro Thanasis’ palace. You will also meet many souls, who will ask you for assistance, but you must ignore them, they are only trying to distract you and keep you from your goal. The cakes are for the three-headed hound guarding Thanasis’ palace, one for when you arrive, the other for when you wish to leave. The coins are for the ferryman, so that he can take you back.”

“Who are you?” Calisto asked the voice.

“I am the tower you are standing on,” the voice explained.

“Thank you for your help, tower,” Calisto said, his voice filled with gratitude. “Is there any way I can repay you?”

“Live,” the tower stated. “Too many people have thrown themselves off of me. I want to know that I was at least able to save one.”

“Do not worry,” Calisto whispered to the tower. “I will live. I promise.”

 

Calisto followed the tower’s instructions; he got his hands on two coins and two cakes, and traveled to the nearest graveyard. He found the gate and walked down the stairs, reaching a river where a skeletal ferryman was waiting.

Calisto got onboard and the ferryman sailed off without instructions. On the way, many people called out to Calisto, trying to get his attention, including an old man who asked for help loading his cart, a young man trying to convince Calisto to swim in the river with him, and three old women asking for assistance with their sewing.

Calisto ignored them and held his tongue. Finally the ferryman stopped at a pier. In front of them lied a dark palace with flowers growing around its walls. Calisto left the ferryman and walked towards the palace, only to get cut off by a big, three-headed hound. Calisto threw one of the cakes as hard as he could, and the hound immediately ran after the sweet treat, having forgotten all about stopping Calisto.

The young prince entered the palace, quickly finding the throne room, where Thanasis and Anastasia sat on two thrones.

“What do we have here, my love?” Thanasis asked his wife, his voice deep and friendly.

“It seems to be a mortal, and one still alive even,” Anastasia responded in surprise.

Thanasis frowned at that and turned to Calisto. “I apologize, but this is the underworld; only gods, and those who are deceased, are allowed to walk these grounds.”

Calisto spit the coins out into his hands and gave the two gods a pleading look.

“Please, I have traveled far and wide, and suffered so very much,” Calisto implored them, kneeling down at their thrones. “Will you not at least hear me out?”

“I really am sorry, but-“ Thanasis was interrupted by his wife.

“My love, this poor boy has obviously been through a lot,” Anastasia scolded her husband. “Let us at very least listen to what he has to say.”

“Very well, my sweet,” Thanasis said with a wistful sigh, gazing fondly upon his wife.

And Calisto began to explain; he told them his entire story, everything he had been through, all the tasks he had completed, hoping only to be reunited with his love. In the end, he said that all he needed was a poppy from Anastasia, and the prince swore he would do anything to receive it.

“My dear boy,” Anastasia said. “While your story has touched me, that is not the reason why I will now give you this flower; I am doing that, because I know nothing will spite Enigma more than losing to a mortal, and I cannot stand her.”

Anastasia snapped her fingers and a small wooden box appeared in her hand. She handed the box over to Calisto. “This box contains the poppy flower, but be careful; while this poppy is powerful enough to put gods to sleep, its scent will put a mortal into a comatose state. Do not open the box.”

“Thank you,” Calisto answered. “Please, is there anything at all I can do to repay you?”

“Leave and do not come back until you actually die,” Thanasis responded and received a glare from Anastasia.

“Give your husband a big kiss right in front of Enigma,” Anastasia said, smiling at Calisto.

The way back seemed easier than the journey there; Calisto threw the second cake, once again distracting the three-headed hound. He gave the ferryman the two coins to be sailed back, and he climbed the stairs back up to the world of the living.

Walking down the road back to Enigma’s temple, clutching the box tightly, the prince had not seen a nearby tree root. Calisto fell over the offending root, dropping the box which opened upon hitting the ground. The red flower fell out, and Calisto tried to put it back into the box without smelling it. He held his breath as he picked up the box, followed by the flower, both of which had landed a bit away from him. But Calisto could not hold his breath for long enough, and he began gasping for air before he could close the box.

The scent of the flower hit Calisto, and he collapsing to the ground, his last conscious thought of his dear husband.


	4. Reunited

Cipher was lying in the bed his sister had made for him. He was growing tired of her gloating and overall smugness. All he wanted was to see his little tree again, but how could he after, not only having deceived the prince, but also knowing he was stuck in this form? How could the prince ever grow to love him now? Cipher’s original plan had been to befriend the prince as Basil, while seducing him as the stranger. He had thought Calisto’s first love confession would be in the dead of night, whispered into his ear.

The door to his room was opened, and in stepped his sister, looking rather pleased.

“Are you feeling any better now, brother dear?” she asked him, a cruel smirk on her lips. “I see your burns have not yet healed… And you are still in that grotesque body. Ah, but do not worry; it is only a matter of time before you are back to your old self.”

“I just want to see Calisto,” Cipher said, his voice and expression forlorn.

“Urgh, I am growing weary of hearing that,” Enigma complained. “That is all you ever talk about! I want my old brother back!”

“Well, he is not coming back,” Cipher responded coldly. “I will never forgive you for this, sister.”

“Forgive me? You should thank me!” Enigma sneered. “While you have been lying here, feeling sorry for yourself, I have been trying to fix your problem.”

“You know you cannot fix this.”

“But I have,” Enigma smirked. “I have sent your ‘little tree’ out on grueling tasks, trying to break him down, piece by piece. I have not succeeded thus far, but in my last task, I told him to go to the underworld. And since mortals do not know of the secrets entrances, he will sooner or later decide to kill himself, just to get there. Then you will have your old form back, and everything will be back to normal.”

“You did WHAT!?!” Cipher roared, leaping from the bed. “If you hurt just a single hair on his head, I will tear you limb from limb!”

“Typical; you try to do something good, and everyone gets mad at you,” Enigma shrugged, still smirking. “You know as well as I do that we are evenly matched, brother. Very soon, your little tree will wither and die, and there is nothing you can do about it.”

Cipher growled at his sister before charging towards her, flying out the door and leaping out of the nearest window.

Cipher began to soar through the sky, searching for his beloved. He scoured the grounds around his sister’s temple, growing more worried with each second passed, until his worst fears were seemingly confirmed, as he spotted the unmoving body of Calisto lying by the road.

Cipher flew down and carefully picked the smaller body up with his clawed hands. He saw the box with the poppy flower, and knew instantly what must have happened. He closed the box and used his powers of sleep and dreams to awaken the mortal.

When Calisto opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Cipher, still in his bestial form, and the prince began to cry.

“Oh, I feared I would never see you again, Cipher,” the prince cried, cradling his husband’s serpent-like face in his hands.

“So, you know,” Cipher concluded. “You know now that I am a god.”

“Yes, I was told,” Calisto admitted. “I am so sorry for all the trouble I caused you… I wish there was some way I could make it up to you…”

“You caused me no trouble,” Cipher said. “I am merely glad you are okay. When I saw you collapsed on the ground, I feared the worst.”

Calisto spotted the mark the burning wax had left behind. “You are still hurt…” he lamented. “Please, Cipher, tell me what I can do to atone for my misdeeds!”

“You did nothing wrong,” Cipher insisted. “My greatest disappointment is only that, stuck in this form, I cannot be the husband you deserve.”

“You already were,” Calisto responded. “That night, when I burned you with the candle, I wanted to call off our meetings, because I could not stand betraying you, like I thought I had done. I had thought that I wronged you, that I had been unfaithful to you, and I could not do it any longer. I wanted to be free to give myself to you, to Basil. I did not fall in love with your looks; I fell in love with the kind and caring creature, who treated me like a precious jewel.”

“You… fell in love with me? With Basil?” Cipher looked at Calisto, stunned.

“Yes,” the prince nodded and kissed his husband’s snout. “I love you, Cipher.”

With those words uttered, a golden light enveloped Cipher, temporarily blinding Calisto. When the prince opened his eyes again, he found himself in the embrace of beautiful man he now knew was Cipher.

“What happened?” Calisto asked.

“A loophole in my deal with Enigma,” Cipher smirked. “The deal was to get you to confess your love for me within a year. Even though Enigma had technically won, the deal never stated that you could not confess afterwards!”

Cipher lifted Calisto up into his arms and swung him around, laughing happily as he did so.

“Wait,” Calisto said. “Speaking of deals, I still have yet to finish my deal with your sister. I must first give her the poppy flower.”

“Do not worry, little tree,” Cipher said and picked up the box. “I will assist you.”

And the god teleported the two to Enigma’s domain.

 

“What is this!?” Enigma screeched when she saw her brother arrived with the prince in his arms. “You are no longer…”

“A minor loophole in our deal, sister dear,” Cipher smirked. “My husband has something to give you.”

Calisto gave the goddess the box.

“… Get out,” Enigma snarled, begrudgingly accepting the box.

“No worries, we will,” Cipher said. “After all, we have so much to do; give Calisto ambrosia to grant him godhood, visit his family, tell them the wonderful news, then arrange and celebrate our wedding, and of course, the wedding night-“

“I SAID OUT!!!” Enigma shouted. Before leaving, Calisto grabbed his husband by his robe, dragging him into a passionate kiss right in front of Enigma.

“Alright, now we shall leave,” Calisto said, giving the furious goddess a smug look before the two husbands left.

 

And thus Cipher gave Calisto the ambrosia, turning the prince into a god. Calisto was brought to his family, who was told the entire story, as well as reintroduced to Calisto’s husband. The wedding was arranged as quickly as possible, the celebration far more joyous than before when Calisto thought he would get eaten by a hideous monster.

Afterwards, Cipher and Calisto returned to the palace that had been their home before, and Cipher laid his husband to bed, ready to consummate their union.

“I have waited for this,” Cipher confessed, stroking Calisto’s face. “I always lamented that I could never see your face while we made love.”

“Look all you want,” Calisto responded with a serene smile. “I have missed your body so… Please, my love, take me.”

“I will, little tree,” Cipher kissed his husband. Lights burned all around them, making sure that the two could look at the other as they proceeded. Cipher penetrated Calisto, the newly-made god gasping at the sensation of being so wonderfully filled.

Cipher moved deeper and deeper, until he began hitting Calisto sweet spot again and again, causing the prince to scream out in pleasure.

Finally, after having been separated for so long, neither of them could take it anymore, and they climaxed together, collapsing in a gasping heap of euphoric sensations.

“I love you, Cipher,” Calisto smiled at his husband.

“I love you too, little tree,” Cipher smiled back.

**Author's Note:**

> Hoped you all enjoyed the story:3 Now I'll work on the next chapter of Masks & Capes, which is going to take place during Christmas... yes, I know it's summer... 
> 
> Please, leave a comment if you want to!


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